Indexing device



March 17, 1953 c. 5. LEE 2,631,481

- INDEXING DEVICE Fi led May 25, 1948 a Sheets-Sheet 1 L W i I JNVENTOR.

5 lee,

/7 777/r/v rs.

March 17, 1953 c. 5. LEE 2,63181 Filed May 25, 1948 s Sheets-Sheet 2 INDEXING DEVICE INVENTOR. ($21 6 5 lee.

F 70171115 Ks.

March 17, 1953 c. 5 LEE INDEXING DEVICE Filed May 25, 19 48 3 Sheets-Sheet Patented Mar. 17, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE INDEXING DEVICE Chite s. Lee, Detroit, Mich.

Application May 25, 1948, Serial No. 29,100

I 11 Claims. (01.77-64) indexing of an index or'work-holding head.

Another object is to provide an indexing device which accurately positions'a workpiece.

v Another objectis to, provide an indexing de- .vice which is positively driven for only the required amount of index ,andthereafter is posii. tively held. against movement out of position.

Another object is to provide an indexing device in which'the amount of movementis aci curate and identical in successive indexes.

, l Another object is to provide an indexing 'de- Vice which issemiautomatic in operation.

In order to accomplish these and other obf 'f ects, the present invention provides a con- .necting. means between a movable .part of the tool andthe index head which is capable of transmitting force and movement from the tool 1' "to the head. In the most common applications,

v as in boring mills, for example, the movable part of the tool is a cutting tool-carrying head which moves to bring the cutting tool against the work and usually to .feed the cutting tool. This movement is usually linear or reciprocating. In the mostcommon cases, it is desired to have a rotaryindex head. Hence, in the illustrated embodiment of'a preferredform of the invention, the connecting means hereinbefore re- .ferred tois capable of translating the linear "i, movementof theftool head into rotary movement of index head. Preferably this connectingmeans includes a rotaryclutch which is mani ually engageable with the'head and automatically. disconnected therefrom by engagement'of a clutch actuator or fork and the movable tool head at the end of feed motion. In order to accurately produce and reproduce the desired degree of index, a camfand cam follower are utilized to connect the movable tool head to the rotary clutch. Thecam is preferably a bar having a cam groove therein and the camfollower is disposed in the groove and depending from the clutch. The baris capable of longitudinal or linear movement .uponcontact by the tool head so that the sides ,of the, cam groove acting against thefollower rotate the clutch and positively drive the headonly. the required amount. 'Afterflthe requiredindex'is obtained, the cam groove together with guide bars which engage 1, the index head positively lock the follower and thus thehead in the desired position. By; proper 2 design of the cam groove, various rates of index may be obtained. 80 also may various degrees of rotation or various numbers of stations be obtained.

A more detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the principles of the invention will be made in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of a boring machine embodying an indexing device in accordance with the present invention;

. Figure 2 is a side elevationof a boring machine as shown in Figure 1 having the improved indexing device described herein;

Figure 3 is a vertical section taken approximately along the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a sectional view with parts removed and broken away of the improvedindexing device; and

Figure 5 is a view taken along the line 5-50! Figure 4.

In the drawings, the improved index head is used with a.horizontal boring mill I having op- I posed tool-carrying headers 3 and 4. From this application of the invention various other uses with othertypes of machines will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

.In common fashion, the headers 3 and 4 are slidably mounted for longitudinal movement toto as traverse movement, since its purpose is to place the drills adjacent the workpiece in proper position for the subsequent drilling, reaming, tapping or other operation. The headers 3 and 4 carry any desired number and size of longitudinally disposed drills or boring tools H.

Operative or cutting motion, while these tools drill, will be referred to herein as "feed motion as distinct from the traversemotion hereinbefore mentioned. Rotation of the tools'may be empowered by suitable means such as the motor.

A central annular frame I5 is fixedly connected to the base structure I and is disposed between the headers 3,and 4. As best recognized from Figure 3, the shell-like portions ll of the frame l5 are of suflicient diameter to receive theheaders 3 and 4. The frame l5 has .spaced transverse partitions l9 and 2t which fixedly carry coaxial bearing housings 23'alnd15 respectively, these housings being coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the machine. The housings 23 and 25 have bearings 2'! and 29 respectively, and a hollow shaft or trunnion BI is rotatably carried thereby. The right-hand end, i. e., end adjacent header 4, of the trunnion 3I has threaded thereon a suitable lock nut 33 to pre-- vent longitudinal movement thereof to the left toward header'i'i. Th trunnion 3i is also longitudinally fixed against movement toward header 4 as by an annular shoulder 35 thereon which abuts the inner end of the bearing 29. If desired, a cover 3! may be attached to the end of the housing 25 to encase the bearing 29 andend of trunnion 3!. 3] is splined as shown at 39 for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

The index head or plate 9i is disposed in the space between the partitions I9 and 2!. It is suit- ..ab1y-.-connec.ted.to the trunnion 3i for rotation,

therewith as .by means of .a central flange 43. on .the trunnion .to which. it .is bolted.

The index head is of any desired form and "has -any desired number of stations, this being dependent upon .the nature of the machining to be performed. In the device shown, the head has to receive a guide pin .5I whichforms a partof a manually operated switch 53 to be described hereinafter. Inthe device shown, the index head 4| has additional guide bores 55 which co-operate with guide .bars..51 .on eachheader 3 and to fix the head in position during the actual .maching operations. When the headers 3 .and

4 are retracted, the guide bars 5! are thereby withdrawn from the bores 55 so that. they'do not interfere with indexing rotation of the head A! and trunnion 3!.

In order to .encase .and accommodate various other structures to be presently described, a longitudinally extending, annular housing 59, pref- -.erably'made up of sections 5! and.-53, is aiiixedto the left hand, or header .3 side, .of the bearing housing 23.

Kinetic energy 20f the tool head 3 is preferably transmitted into rotationcftheindexihead by :means of a cam bar 55. This bar is .slidably nounted in the bore 32 of the hollow trunnion 3i and is arranged so that it reciprocates with the ,.header 3. For this purpose it may be fixedlyconnected to the header 3 as shown .at S? or, if desired, it maybe spring biased and in abutment ;relationship with the header 3. nonrotatable as indicated by itsrigid connection -51; and'as furthermeans of accomplishing this,

The bar is the .bar may have longitudinal keyways 99 which are engaged by fixed keys H in the annular cover plate 73 which is rigidly connected to the stationary housing 59 as shown at '55.

The cam bar 65 has a longitudinal cam groove 11 therein which consists of a straight or linear ,portion 19 near the header 3, an intermediate curved portion 9!, anda forward linear portion .8 3 within the trunnion 3i. A clutch member 85,

*which'may have an internal bushing sleeve 81, is rotatably and slidably mounted on the cam bar The other end of the trunnion 65 and has a transverse cam follower 99 depending therefrom which rides inside the cam groove 11. The follower 89 and groove 11 may be tapered as best shown in Figure 5, and in order to reduce frictional wear on these elements, the follower preferably has a shaft 9| which is rotatably mounted in bearings 93 in a small carrier block 95 that is mounted in a. side wall of the clutch laseshown at 91.. Front and rear peripheral portions 99 and IOTI ':Of the clutch 85 are slidably and rotatably mounted in and with respect to the .housing sections 63 and BI by means of suitable bearings I93 and I05 inserted between them and has a splined'recess I II which is adapted to rotatively-engage the .splined end 39 of the trunnion It will be recognized that longitudinal move- .ment of .the cam bar 65 will rotate the clutch member J85. "This occursbeeause the-depending camfollower89' ridesin'the groove'I'I-and will'be forced .to follow .thecurvedportion 8'! thereof around the peripheryof' the "bar-65.

Longitudinal"movementioftlre clutch 85 into and out of engagement with 'ithetrunnion 3 I may be actuatedjby 'suitable'means I13 such as shown in .Eigures L 4 and .5. This'may "include "aip'air of diametrically opposite ionjgitudina'lrods EII'5 having notches I11 therein whieh'enga ethe' rim of alfiange'il' I9 formed on the outer periphery oft'he clutch member"85. Longitudinalmovement of the rods II5'thus slides the 'clutch relative to the "housing '59 .and bar 5.5"bu't rotation of the .clutch are preferably carried bye-transverse annular plate "I2I which'ifits over the ibar'65 at'the-rear .of the housingi59. The plate 12.I-is..pi.votal1y connected .along .a diameter at .right .angles to that .throughthe rods 1 I5 toa fork or yoke I23 as moves the clutch .85 into. engagement with the trunnion. 3 I V .Right-hand movement of the ,yokeend lI3LI'is preferably actuated .by the .ltoolhea'd .3. and lefthand movement is preferably manually :actua'tefd.

has there an adjustable length abutment screw I31. This screw is adapted to be contacted .by the head-3 of themachine tooland its length .is adjusted so that .at the end of feedmotion the head 3 forces the pin .51! into the .guide'hore 49 in the .indexhead AI :and .also pushes theyoke end I3I .far enough to "the right .to disengage the clutch 85. and trunnion 3]- A rack 13.9 is'formed .on'the upper surface of the'pin 5| and this is en gaged by a gear (not shown) which is rotated by thehandle I4I which is p'ivo'ta'llymountedinxthe housing of switch 53, this switch being fixed 'to frame I5. Manual movement of "the handle'fll "tothe position shown in dottedzlines'inFigure 4 moves the'pin'5 I out of thebore '4'9 totreleasethe index head'l'l and atthe same time Iorcesthe ,yoke end |3| tothe left to engage the clutch-85 with the trunnion 3|.

f In connection with the operation of the structure heretofore described, Figures 3 and 4 show the relative positions of the various parts at the 5 "end of feedmotion'wherein the tools extend through the workpiece A. In this position the head 3 has abutted the screw |3| and forced the stop pin 5| into the guide bore "49 in the index head 4|, and it has, also moved the yoke I23 about its pivot point |2| so as to disengage the clutch '35 from the trunnion 3| and thus the head 4|.

In order to remove the workpiece A it is necessary to retract the heads 3 and 4 to withdraw the tools. 'motors 9 in any conventional manner. As the heads withdraw, the head 3 carries with it' the cam bar 65. This draws the curved portion 8| of the cam groove 11 by the follower 89, but since :the clutch 85 is disengaged it rotates idly on the bar 65. The index head 4| is held in fixed rotary 1 position by the stop pin 5| of the switch 53 as the bar 65 and the guide bars 51 are withdrawn.

- During the preceding operation the handle MI "is inthe full-line position of Figure 4; but when itis completed, the operator throws the handle f forward to the dotted-line position. This removes the stop pin 5| from the index head 4| which is then free to rotate with the trunnion 3|. This also drives the yoke end |3| to the rear to force the clutch 851forward so that the trunnion splines 39rotatably engage the splined clutch recess 1 At or just before this point the heads 3 and 4 may "be actuated to begin traverse movement toward the index head. As the head 3 begins this move- [ment the cam follower 89 rides in thelinear portion 83 f the cam slot 11 so that there is no camming action thereon to rotate the clutch. As the head 3-approaches closer to the index head 4|,

, however, the curved portion 8| imparts a peripheral or tangential component of force to the cam "follower 89 which rotates it and the connected trunnion3| and index head 4| through the same are as is-included between the parallel straight portions 19 and 83 on either side of the curved:

effect thereon. I. During-thisjm'ovement the; guide;

. t Hes er h s debo e 5 in theindex 4| and before the tools engage the workAfso that the index head is fixedly positioned at'this time by the guide bars as well as by the straight cam groove; 9.

groove section 19, traverse. motion ends andfeed motion begins as the; tools. ltenter the workpieces. ;At 0 r before the endoffeed motion the head 3 abuts the screw I31 to drive the stop pin 5| forward into the bore 49 in the head4| and to disengage the clutch 85 by moving it to the position shown in Figure 4. When drilling is completed, the heads 3 and 4 may then be retracted as described above.

It will be realized that the length and slope of the curved portion 8| of the cam groove 11 determines the amount and speed of index of the head 4| and that these can be of any desired values. It is thus possible by regulating the shape of the groove" to control motion of the head so that This is done by properly actuating the In an intermediate portion of the standpoint of large scale production is that it at the center of the machine thus making it more it may have rapid acceleration and slow decelerature embodying the principles illustrated in the embodiment just described, it is possible to utilize traversemotion of the tool heads 3 and 4 to index the index head 4| further, that this index-movement is positive and accurate and capable of identical reproduction because of the cam bar and clutch follower 65 arrangement. An important advantage of the'machine from the saves time since indexing and traversing occur simultaneously whereas in the devices'now known these occur at separate intervals. A further advantage is that the indexing mechanism is located compact than conventional devices wherein ap- Other advantages, modifications and applications of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. An indexing device for machine tools comprising a movable index head, mechanism for rotatively driving saidindex head including a cam follower, and coactive clutch elements one connected to the index head and the other connected to said cam follower, and a cam aflixed to the machine tool for movement therewith coactive with said cam follower to index said head by movement of the tool.

2. In a machine-tool setup, the combination of an index head rotatable in a plane normal to the direction of feed-of the tool, a cam follower adapted to rotatively engage the head,

' a cam bar fixed to the machine tool for move- 7 ment therewith, said bar having a cam groove and said follower extending into said groove f whereby movement of the bar in the direction l of feed rotates the head a predetermined amount,

and clutch means interposed between and operatively connected to the cam follower and to said index head forselectively connecting and disconnecting the same. 7

3. An indexing device for machine toolscomi prising a rotatable index head capable of carrying a workpiece, a rotary clutch member capable of rotative connection to the head, manual means for engaging said clutch and head, autoto translate linear traverse movement of the tool into rotary movement of the clutch.

"i l 4. An indexing device for machine tools com- '.'prising a rotatable index head capable of carrylower and being capable of linear movement under the influence of the tool so as to rotate the follower and clutch.

5. An indexing device for machine tools comprising a rotatable index head capable of carrying a workpiece, a rotary clutch member capable of rotative connection to the head, first means manually operable to engage the clutch and head, second means capable of actuation by a tool in its final feed motion to disengage the clutch and head, stop means engageable with the head for holding, it in fixed rotary position, said stop means being engaged by the second means, and disengaged by the first means, and cam means rotatively connected to the clutch and capable of actuation by movement of the tool for rotating said clutch a predetermined amount.

6. An indexing device for machine tools comprising a longitudinally slidable cam bar adapted to be moved by abutment with a machine tool during traverse and feed motion thereof, an

index head rotatably mounted on said cam bar,

a clutch member rotatably mounted on said cam bar and adapted to rotatively engage the head, said bar having a longitudinally disposed curved cam groove therein, a cam follower depending from said clutch disposed in said groove whereby longitudinal motion of the bar rotates the clutch a predetermined amount, a clutch fork connected at one end to the clutch for engaging and disengaging the clutch and head, said clutch fork being pivotally mounted between its ends, a stop pin engageable with the head to fix therotary position thereof, first means connecting the lower end of the fork to the pin so that when the pin engages the head the fork disengages the clutch and vice versa, and manual means for moving the pin out of engagement with the head, said first means being constructed and arranged so that it is abutted by the tool in the final feed movement to engage the pin and disengage the head. a

7. The invention as claimed in claim 4 wherein the cam follower is conical and the cam groove is tapered on approximately the angle of the cone.

8. An indexing device for machine tools of the type having a reciprocable part comprising a rotatable index head, lock means selectively engageable with the head to hold the same against rotation, means for rotatively driving said head including a cam bar fixed to said reciprooable part and having -a cam groove, a cam follower mounted to travel in said groove, a

clutch having coactive clutch elements one connected to the head and the other connected to said cam follower, and means for simultaneously actuating said lock means and said clutch- 9. An indexingdevice for machine :tools of the type having a reciprocable part comprising a rotatable index head, a bolt element slidable into and out of engagement with said head and operative to hold the same against rotation, means for rotatively driving said head including 'a cam bar fixed to said recip'rocable part and having a cam groove, a cam follower mounted to travel in said groove, a clutch having coactive clutch elefile of this patent:,

ments one connected to the head and the other connected to said cam follower, manual means for engaging said clutch elements and simultaneously disengaging said bolt from the index head, and automatic means for disengaging said clutch elements and simultaneouslyengaging said bolts with said index head.

l0; Anindexing device for machine tools of the type having a reciprocable part comprising a rotatable work-carrying index head, a slidable bolt element selectively engageablewith the headfto hold the same against rotation, means for rotatively driving said head including a cam'bar fixed to said reciprocable partand having a cam groove, a cam follower mounted to travel in. said groove, a -clutch havingcoactive-clutch elements one connected to thehead and the other connectedfto said cam follower, a mechanism connected ,to said clutch and to said bolt element for simultaneously actuating said clutch and said bolt element, said mechanism including an adjustable stop engageable by said reciprocating part and operable thereby to engage said bolt witht-he index head and simultaneously to disengage said clutch, said mechanism also including a manually actuatable handle permitting operation of the mechanism to engage said clutch and simultaneously to disengage the bolt from said index head. a

11. An indexing device for machine tools of the type having a reciprocable tool-carrying slide comprising a rotatable work-carrying index head, guide bars carried by the slide engageable with the index head before engagement of the tools with the work to holdsaid head rota-tively fixed, a sl-idable bolt element selectively engageable with the head and operable jointly with said guide bars to hold the head against rotation, means'fo-r rotatively driving said head including a cam .bar fixed to said slide and having a cam groove, a cam follower mounted to travel in said groove, a clutch having coactive clutch elements one connected to the head and the other connected to said cam follower, and mechanism eonneeted to said clutch'and to said bolt-element operative by' sa-id slide at the limit of its travel in one direction to disengage said clutch and simultaneously to engage said bolt element with said index head and a manual actuator-'coactive with said mechanism to engage said clutch and simultaneously to disengage said bolt element from said index head.

CHITE'S.LEE.

- REFERENCES CITED H The following references are of record in the UNITED STATES PA'I'ENTS Number Name Date 1,398,226 Fretter Nov. 29, 1921 1,918,538 Hallenbeck July-l8, 1933 2,346,352

"Boxell Apr. 11, 1944 

